Lorraine Williamson
Catalonia was battered by intense storms overnight, bringing widespread disruption to transport, education, and daily life. Rainfall swelled rivers, flooded roads, and overwhelmed drainage systems across the region. Mobile phones shrilled with emergency alerts as the Generalitat warned residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel.
The ES-Alert system — used only in high-risk situations — was activated late on Wednesday night. At around 10.00 pm, mobile phones along the coast and pre-coastal areas buzzed with a loud alarm and message urging maximum caution. Citizens were advised to stay away from riverbeds, ravines and low-lying areas and to avoid travelling unless absolutely necessary.
Authorities did not impose formal mobility restrictions, but the warning was clear: conditions could become dangerous in minutes.
Universities close as rain intensifies
As the storm strengthened into the early hours, several Catalan universities suspended classes for Thursday as a precaution. Students and staff were told to remain at home and to follow updates through internal communication channels. Several municipalities also cancelled local events, after-school activities and cultural programmes.
Railway network hit by collapse and technical failures
By dawn, the heaviest rain had already caused major disruption to the railway network. On the R15 line between Mora and Ascó, a wall collapse forced all services to stop. Services on the R14 line between Lleida and La Plana de Picamoixons were also suspended following a technical failure near Riu Milans. Commuters faced long delays, and replacement services were limited.
Emergency lines recorded dozens of flooding incidents, fallen trees and blocked roads. By 7.00 am, the fire service had responded to at least 21 call-outs. Meanwhile, emergency line 112 handled more than 100 storm-related incidents.
Emergency plans activated overnight
Throughout the night, officials monitored the situation from the regional emergency committee under the Pla Inuncat flood plan. Regional president Salvador Illa and interior minister Núria Parlon oversaw operations as the Cecat coordination centre remained fully staffed.
Catalan president Salvador Illa urged residents to remain extremely cautious as the storm intensified. “In light of the heavy rainfall we are experiencing in Catalonia, I continue to ask for maximum precaution,” he wrote on social media. Illa stressed the importance of following instructions from Civil Protection, avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from rivers, streambeds and ravines where water levels could rise without warning.
Parlon urged residents to take extra care when parking near riverbeds or streams and warned of sudden rises in water levels. In Barcelona, the city council activated its municipal emergency plan due to the limited drainage capacity of the sewer system during extreme rainfall.
Where the storm is heading next
Meteorologists from Meteocat reported storm intensity reached level 4 on a scale of 6 — around 40 litres of rain per square metre in 30 minutes. The downpours originated in Tarragona and are now moving towards Girona and the Pyrenees. Meteocat director Sarai Sarroca said the rain would be “intense but short-lived,” reducing the likelihood of severe flooding because the storm front continues to move rather than linger.
Light snowfall is possible in the higher areas of the Pyrenees, while rain is expected to ease by evening, although isolated showers may persist.
Catalonia clean-up
Storm clean-up operations are already underway, with rail services expected to take time to recover fully. Universities will decide whether to resume classes once the worst of the weather has passed. For thousands of residents, the sudden emergency alert was a reminder how quickly extreme weather can throw life into chaos.
Sources: El País, La Vanguardia